3M, the maker of Post-it, will acquire Scott Safety from Johnson Controls for $2 billion to build up its safety division. This is the second largest acquisition for 3M after its purchase of Capital Safety, a maker of fall protection equipment such as harnesses, lanyards, and self-retracting lifelines, from KKR & Co. for $2.5 billion […]

There’s a myth that acquisitions are only executed by huge, publicly-traded, Fortune 500 companies, but that’s simply not the true. In reality, there are many acquisitions conducted by small and middle market firms that are private transactions and are not reported to the media. There are many reasons to consider acquisitions, regardless of the size […]

You do not need an M&A advisor to pursue acquisitions. You might think I’m crazy for saying this, after all, we are M&A advisors, but the truth is you can pursue acquisitions on your own. In fact, for those of you who are so inclined to take the do-it-yourself approach, I lay out a step-by-step […]

Does this sound familiar? You want to grow through acquisitions, but there are no good companies to acquire. While it may seem like there are absolutely zero acquisition prospects, usually that is not the case. Many companies struggle to find acquisition prospects because they are focusing on only on industry partners, suppliers, or competitors they […]

Not finding the right company to acquire is the top challenge for middle market companies seeking to grow through mergers and acquisitions. According to Capstone’s survey of middle market executives, 28% noted lack of suitable companies as the strongest reason for not considering acquisitions as a tool for growth. Finding the right company to acquire […]

Capstone Strategic’s survey of middle market executives shows most see the same (43%) or growing (31%) M&A activity in their industry. 47% are pursuing M&A in order to access new markets. Capstone Strategic, the leading M&A advisory firm for the middle market, surveyed middle market executives from multiple industries on their growth and M&A experience […]

Should your credit union acquire a bank? If you are looking for new ways to grow, acquiring a bank may be an option for your credit union. Capstone is excited to host a webinar attorney Michael Bell, who pioneered this new approach and continues to help credit unions acquire banks. The webinar will cover the strategy […]

We usually think acquirers are big, multinational companies that gobble up their smaller competitors. However, that’s not always the case. Hudson’s Bay, which has a market value of $1.5 billion, is interested in acquiring Macy’s, which has a market value of $9.4 billion. This transaction challenges common perceptions about acquirers and sellers and demonstrates that […]

Thanks to advances in science and healthcare, people are living longer than ever. As they age, demand for healthcare products and services increases. One of the most significant demographic trends impacting healthcare is the aging baby boomer generation. As about 75 million American baby boomers grow older, demand for healthcare continue to will increase rapidly. […]

Global M&A reached $3.7 trillion in 2016, dropping 16%, and the number of deals increased slightly by 1% when compared to last year. While 2016 did not match 2015’s record-levels, activity was still robust. Compared to 2014, activity increased by 5%. Activity in the fourth quarter reached $1.2 trillion with 13,504 deals announced, a 50% […]

Happy New Year! We are excited to announce the 2017 webinar schedule and invite you to join us this year for these exciting events. For over 20 years we have helped companies grow and educated business leaders on strategic growth through mergers and acquisitions. Each webinar is led by a seasoned M&A professional providing practical […]

The Street interviewed Capstone CEO David Braun for the article “Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Likes Sound of SpinMedia’s Music Brands.” In the article David Braun analyzes the deal’s strategic rationale and discusses how traditional media businesses can continue to grow amidst a changing environment. As print media declines and digital media consumption rises, traditional publishing and […]

When you think growing your business in 2017, you probably picture hiring more sales people, opening a new branch, developing additional products or acquiring state-of-the-art technology. Today I want to introduce a new concept for consideration: growing by exiting a business. Before you immediately dismiss the idea, take a moment to challenge your assumptions about company […]

2016 continued be a strategic, rather than a financial buyer’s market and strategic buyers deployed large cash reserves to pursue growth through M&A. Unlike financial buyers, which typically look for a three to five years return on investment, strategic buyers can afford to pay more due to their long-term focus. The middle market has been eager […]

2016 has been a year of surprises with the U.K. voting to leave the European Union, fears over China’s economic slowdown, oil price slumps, and Donald Trump winning the U.S. presidential election. Despite these shocks to the market, 2016 will likely be the third best year for global mergers and acquisitions in the past 10 years […]

Are you exploring all your options for growth? When you think about a growing your credit union or CUSO through a “merger” strategy, you may be tempted to focus on consolidation alone. While combining two credit unions can be a pathway to growth, it is important to recognize it is just one of a number […]

When you acquire a company, the biggest risk you face in the unknown. You put a potentially large sum of money down for results that are not guaranteed. Whether you are acquiring a company for a new technological capability, to expand your geographic footprint, or for its complementary product line – there’s always the possibility […]

We generally recommend taking between 30 and 60 days to complete due diligence. We find this is enough time to complete a thorough evaluation of the business without letting the process drag on. Due diligence will include onsite visits with your internal team and your external team of lawyers, accountants, and your third party M&A […]

Seeking growth amid a shifting telecommunications industry, AT&T has bet on media content. The company plans to acquire Time Warner for $85 billion in one of the biggest media acquisitions in history. The transaction will likely take over a year to receive regulatory approval, but both AT&T and Time Warner executives are optimistic. AT&T CEO Randall […]